Less than a week to ACA deadline

OLYMPIA - As of March 1, 14,618 Grant County residents had signed up for health insurance through the state's health care exchange, Washington Health Plan Finder. In Adams County, 4,773 residents had signed up, according to data released by Health Plan Finder officials.

Of those registered, 979 people in Grant County and 294 in Adams County had signed up for private insurance. Most of the enrollees, 8,878 in Grant County and 3,169 in Adams County, were former Medicaid enrollees determined to be eligible again. The remainder, 1,310 in Adams County and 4,761 in Grant County, were newly enrolled in Medicaid.

Signing up for health insurance is a requirement for all Americans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

With one week to go in the signup period, officials are working on a statewide campaign to persuade residents to register, according to a press release issued by the organization. Total enrollment through the end of February was released by Washington Health Plan Finder officials Thursday.

The majority of Health Plan Finder enrollments statewide, 662,523, are people going into Medicaid, according to the report. Of people signing up for private insurance through the exchanges, 84,982 qualify for a subsidy, while 20,422 don't receive a subsidy.

Agency officials started an aggressive campaign to promote enrollment, which will continue through the end of the month, said Bethany Frey, the agency's senior communications specialist.

Washington Health Plan Finder officials are suggesting that people not wait until the last minute, Frey said. People have until midnight Monday, March 31 to sign up to be eligible for coverage May 1.

Agency officials are encouraging residents to use the state website, www.wahealthplanfinder.org.